Introduction-to-Computing-Reviewer (1).docx

**Introduction to Computing** **Three Definition of Computer Literacy:** - **Awareness** - **Knowledge** - **Interaction** **Three Fundamental Characteristics** - **Speed -** Computers provide the processing speed essential to our fast-paced society. - **Reliability -** Computer...

**Introduction to Computing** **Three Definition of Computer Literacy:** - **Awareness** - **Knowledge** - **Interaction** **Three Fundamental Characteristics** - **Speed -** Computers provide the processing speed essential to our fast-paced society. - **Reliability -** Computers are extremely reliable. - **Storage Capability -** Computer systems can store tremendous amounts of data which can be located and retrieved efficiently. **Where Computers are Used** Education, Graphics, Retailing, Energy, Law Enforcement Transportation, Health and Medicine, Paperwork, Money, Agriculture, Government, The Home, Robotics, The Human Connection, The Sciences, Connectivity, Training. **Three Main Components of a Computer System**1. **Hardware** - the equipment associated with a computer system.2. **Software** - a set of instructions, it tells the computer what to do. - also referred to as programs3. **Peopleware** - the important component of a computer system; people use the power of computer for some purpose - **Program** - a set of step-by-step instructions that directs the computer to do the required tasks and produce the desired results. - **Computer Programmer**- a person who writes programs.Users- are people who purchase and use computer software. - **End- Users**- they are at the end of the computer line. **Hardware: The Basic Components of a Computer** - **Computer-** a machine that can be programmed to accept **data** (input), process it into useful **information**(output), and store it away(in a secondary storage device for safekeeping or later re use. - **Input Devices-** accepts data or commands in a form that the computer can use. - **The Processor**- Central Processing Unit, has electronic circuitry that manipulates input data into the information people want. - **Output Devices**- shows the people the processed data-information- in understandable and usable form. - **Storage**- means secondary storage which consists of secondary storage such as disk- that can store data and program outside of the computer itself. These devices supplement memory or primary storage, which can hold data and programs only temporarily. **Input**The data that you put into the computer system for processing. Here are some common ways of feeding input data into the system:a. **Typing on a keyboard**. The keys on a computer keyboard are arrange in much the same way as those typewriter. The computer responds to what you enter; that is, it "echoes" what you type by displaying it on the screen in front of you. b. **Pointing with a mouse-** this is a device that is moved by hand over a flat surface. As the ball on its underside rotates, the mouse movement cause corresponding movement of a pointer on the computer screen. **Output** The result produced by the central processing unit. Usable information-that is raw input data that has been processed by the computer into information. Common forms of output are text, numbers, graphics, and even sounds. Examples of an Output Device:**Screen-** can vary in its form of display, producing text, numbers, symbols, art, photographs, and even video, in full color.**Printers**- produce printed reports as instructed by a computer program. **The Processor and Memory** - The processor is also called the Central Processing Unit - Consists of electronic circuits that interpret and execute program instructions as well as communicating with the input, output, and storage devices. - The **CPU** actually transforms data into information. **Data-** he raw material to be processed by a computer, such as grades in a class or light and dark areas in a photograph.Processed data becomes **information**- data that is organized, meaningful and useful. **Computer Memory**-also known as **primary storage**-closely related to the **CPU** but separate and distinct from it.-holds the data after it is input into the system and before it is processed; also memory holds the data after it has been processed but before it has been released to the output device.-holds the programs (computer instructions) needed by the **CPU.**-can hold data temporarily because memory requires continuous flow of electric current; if the current is interrupted, the data is lost. **Secondary Storage-** Provides additional storage separate from memory. Recall that memory holds data and programs only temporarily; therefore there is a need for secondary storage. The most common secondary storage media for a personal computer are magnetic disks. A magnetic disk can be a diskette or a hard disk. A diskette usually consists of a flexible magnetic disks 3 ½ inches diameter, enclosed in a plastic case. - Hard disks have more storage capacity than diskettes and also offer much faster access to the data they hold. **The Complete Hardware Systems-** Peripheral Equipment- the hardware devices that are attached to the computer. - Includes all input, output, and secondary storage devices.- In personal computers- the CPU and disk drives are all contained in the same housing, a metal case; the keyboard, mouse, and monitor are separate.- In larger systems-the input, processing, output, and storage functions may be in separate rooms, separate buildings, or even separate countries. **Classifications of Computers** **Personal Computer** \- Most often called **personal computer** or PC, desktop computers are occasionally known as **microcomputers** or sometimes **home computers.**-Now fall into categories; most are low end functional computers or else fully powered personal computers. - A third category of upper end PC's called workstations -used by specialized workers such as engineers, financial traders, and graphic designers. -enough to fit on a desktop but approach the power of a mainframe. **Notebook Computers**- Are lightweight and portable. Travelers use them to get work done while on the move in trains, and airplanes, consultants load their analytical software on them to take to client to locations, and sales people use them as presentation tools.- Larger and heavier versions of these computers are known as laptops and can be used as desktop replacements for those with only occasional portability requirements. **Smaller Still: Handheld Computers-** Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) - can be used to keep track of appointments and other business information, such as customer names and orders.- Also called pen based computers because, with the use of pen like stylus, they can accept handwritten input directly on a touch sensitive screen. - The **pocket pc** is a handheld computer slightly more power than a PDA. -can also run stripped down versions of PC productivity software such as word processing and spreadsheets. **Mainframes- Large Computers-** Capable of processing data at very high speeds- billions of instructions per second- and have access to billions of characters of data. The price of these large systems can vary from several hundred thousands to many millions of dollars. **Supercomputers -** The mightiest computers and the most expensive.- Fastest; they can process trillions of instructions per second.- Can be found in mainstream activities as varied as stock analysis, automobile design, special effects for movies, and even sophisticated art work.- The federal government uses supercomputer for tasks that require mammoth data manipulation, such as world wide weather forecasting research. **Capabilities of Computer**1. They can do repetitive and routine work.2. They have the speed to process voluminous data in a flash, resulting in greater productivity and less manpower needs.3. Computers are reliable and accurate.4. They can store and recall tremendous amount of information.5. Computers have a self-checking capability.6. Computers can be self-operating.7. They can do remote processing. **Limitations of Computer** 1\. They are dependent on instructions and data given through the program made by the programmer.2. They can never generate information on their own, can never correct wrong instructions. 3. They cannot decide if they were not programmed for certain specific tasks and are vulnerable to a virus attack. **Computer Hardware**Hardware represents the physical and tangible components of the computer i.e. the components that can be seen and touched.Examples of Hardware are following:**1. Input devices \--** keyboard, mouse etc.**2. Output devices \--** printer, monitor etc**.3. Secondary storage devices \--** Hard disk, CD, etc.**4. Internal components \--** CPU, motherboard, RAM etc**.** **Relationship between Hardware and Software**1. Mutually dependent. Both of them must work together to make computer produce a useful output.2. Software cannot be utilized without supporting hardware.3. Hardware without set of programs to operate upon cannot be utilized and is useless.4. To get a particular job done on the computer, relevant software should be loaded into the hardware.5. Hardware is a one time expense.6. Software development is very expensive and is a continuing expense.7. Different software can be loaded on a hardware to run different jobs.8. A software acts as an interface between the user and the hardware.9. If hardware is the \'heart\' of a computer system, then software is its \'soul\'. Both are complimentary to each other. **COMPUTER -- SOFTWARE** Software is a set of programs, which is designed to perform a well defined function. A program is a sequence of instructions written to solve a particular problem**.There are two types of software:**System SoftwareApplication Software **System Software**- The system software is collection of programs designed to operate, control and extend the processing capabilities of the computer itself. System software are generally prepared by computer manufactures.- These software comprise of programs written in low level languages which interact with the hardware at a very basic level. System software serves as the interface between hardware and the end users. Examples: Operating System, Compilers, Interpreter, Assemblers etcFeatures of System Software are followingClose to system. Fast in speed. Difficult to design. Difficult to understand. Less interactive. Smaller in size. Difficult to manipulate. Generally written in low level language. **Application Software-** Application software are the software that are designed to satisfy a particular need of a particular environment. All software prepared by us in the computer lab can come under the category of Application software.- Application software may consists of a single program, such as a Microsoft\'s notepad for writing and editing simple text. It may also consists of a collection of programs, often called a software package, which work together to accomplish a task, such as a spreadsheet package. Examples of Application software are following:Payroll Software Camera 360 Facebook and MessengerMicrosoft Office Suite Software Microsoft WordMicrosoft Excel Microsoft Powerpoint Features of Application Software are following:It is close to user.It is easy to design.More interactive.Slow in speed.Generally written in high level language.Easy to understand.Easy to manipulate and use.Bigger in size and requires large storage space. **\ ** **Internet** **What is the Internet?**The internet is the largest **computer network in the world, connecting millions of computers.** A network is a group of two or more computer systems linked together. **There are two main types of computer networks:**1**. Local Area Network (LAN):** A LAN is two or more connected computers sharing certain resources in a relatively small geographic location, often in the same building. Examples include home networks and office networks.2**. Wide Area Network (WAN):** A WAN typically consists of two or more LANs. The computers are farther apart and are linked by telephone lines, dedicated telephone lines, or radio waves. The internet is the largest Wide Area Network (WAN) in existence. **The World Wide Web (WWW)**When most people think of the internet, the first thing they think about is the **World Wide Web**. Nowadays, the terms \"internet\" and \"World Wide Web\" are often used interchangeably---but they\'re actually not the same thing.1. The internet is the physical network of computers all over the world.2. The World Wide Web is a virtual network of web sites connected by hyperlinks (or \"links\"). Web sites are stored on servers on the internet, so the World Wide Web is a part of the internet. **Hypertext Mark up Language**The backbone of the World Wide Web is made of HTML files, which are specially-formatted documents that can contain links, as well as images and other media. All web browsers can read HTML files. **URL**To get to a web page, you can type the **URL (Uniform Resource Locator) in a browser.** The URL, also known as the web address, tells the browser exactly where to find the page. However, most of the time, people get to a web page by following a link from a different page or by searching for the page with a search engine.An example of a URLThe World Wide Web was created in 1989 by **Tim Berners-Lee, a software engineer. Before then, computers** could communicate over the internet, but there were no web pages. **How is the Internet Used?** **Intelligent Personal Assistants-** If you\'re using a mobile device, there are some situations where it\'s not convenient to type a search into a search engine. Instead, you can simply **talk to your device\'s intelligent personal assistant. One example is Siri**, which comes pre-installed on the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 5.- With Siri, you can ask a question **like \"What\'s the weather today?\" or \"Are there any Thai restaurants nearby?\" Siri** will then try to give you an answer. You can also use Siri to do other things on your device such as setting up reminders. For example, you could say, **\"Remind me to go to the dentist on Thursday.** **Using the Internet to Communicate** - The internet isn\'t just about finding information. It\'s also about connecting with friends, family, and people you\'ve never met before. Today, there are many different ways to communicate online, including **social networking, chat, VoIP, and blogging**. 1\. **Social Networking**Social networking has become one of the main ways people keep in touch. Below are a few of the most popular social networking sites:**Facebook is used by about one billion people. If you have family or friends that live far away**, you can use Facebook to keep up with their lives. You can also share things you\'ve found online that interest you. **Chat and Instant Messaging- Chat and instant messaging programs allow you to have conversations with your friends or just write them a quick note**. Two examples are **Yahoo! Messenger and Microsoft Messenger. Some sites, such as Gmail and Facebook, allow you to chat within your browser.** **VoIP- Voice over Internet Protocol, allows you to have telephone service through your internet connection.**Some services also let you do **video conferencing, such as Skype and Facebook Video Calling**. Many of these services are free or very inexpensive, and some people use them as a replacement for a landline, or just to save minutes on their mobile phones. **Blogs-** Today, the average user has the ability to shape the web by adding to it. If you have knowledge or interests that you\'re passionate about, you can **create your own blog and share your thoughts with the world.**There are many sites like blogger.com and wordpress.com that let you create a blog for free. You don\'t need anyweb design experience---most of the technical stuff has already been created for you, and you can choose a predesigned template that has the look and feel that you want. **Media on the InternetTV, radio, and the internet used to be completely separate things, but that\'s no longer true with today\'s** technology. You can now watch TV shows on your computer, and you can connect to the internet on many TVs and DVD/Blu-ray players. In addition, you can listen to online radio from all over the world, thus granting you greater access to a more diverse range of media. **Streaming Media**TV and radio on the internet are examples of **streaming media, which means the media downloads while it\'s playing so you don\'t have to wait for it to download first.**Not all media is streaming. If you\'ve ever bought music on the iTunes store, you probably had to wait for it to download before you could listen to it. **Media Players and Embedded Media**Media is often **embedded in a web page, which means that it plays within the web browser**. Other times, you\'ll use a separate program called a **media player to play it**. **Examples include Windows Media Player and iTunes. An iPod contains built-in media player software that can play various types of files.** **Online Media on Your TV**You can now access online TV shows, movies, and music on your TV. Many newer TVs are able to connect to an existing internet connection. If yours doesn\'t have this feature built-in, you can buy a separate **digital media receiver, which is a small device that connects to your TV.** **Using the Internet in the Future**The internet is **always changing, and the ways in which we access it will also continue to change**. Current trends will become more common and integrated into our everyday lives. In addition, we\'ll see many technologies and devices in the future that will allow us to use the internet in new and exciting ways. **Connecting to the Internet** **A. Choosing an Internet Service Provider**Once you have decided **which type of internet access you are interested in, you can determine which ISPs** are available in your area that offer the type of internet access you want. Then, you will need to purchase internet service from one of the available ISPs. Talk to friends, family members, and neighbors to see what ISP they use. Below are some things to consider as you research ISPs:1. Speed2. Price3. Ease of Installation4.Service Record5. Technical Support6. Contract TermsAlthough dial-up has traditionally been the cheapest option, many ISPs have raised dial-up prices to be the same as broadband. This is intended to encourage people to switch over to broadband. Generally, you should only use dial-up if it\'s the only option available. **Hardware Needed**  **Software Needed**